Moscow15 minutes ago
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Putin delivered a speech at the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok on Thursday.
Tension has increased regarding Russian ships in the sea amid the Russia-Ukraine war. President Vladimir Putin has warned against attacks on Russian civilian and commercial ships.
He termed it terrorism and said it was making the possibility of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine more difficult.
Putin referred to recent incidents of seizure of Russian civilian ships. He also expressed displeasure over Norway’s detention of the Russian research ship Professor Molchanov.
The Russian ship Professor Molchanov travels between Murmansk and Svalbard.
Norway seized the ship at the behest of Ukraine
Norway detained the ship on the demand of Ukraine’s government company Naftogaz. At that time ‘Professor Molchanov’ was standing in the Barentsburg area of Svalbard.
This is a Russian government research ship. Apart from scientists and research staff, their families and tourists also travel on it. It also delivers essential goods to the Russian settlements on Svalbard.
Norway seized the ship not on charges of violating any maritime ban, but in an old compensation case. After annexing Crimea in 2014, Russia took control of Naftogaz’s assets there.
After this Naftogaz asked for compensation from Russia. In 2023, an international court in The Hague ordered Russia to pay about $4.22 billion to Naftogaz. Russia has not yet given this amount.
Putin said- Ukraine attacked 100 Russian ships
Putin said his displeasure is not limited to Norway seizing the ship, but Ukraine is now directly targeting Russian civilian ships at sea.
He claimed that in the last 40 days, about 100 Russian merchant ships were attacked, in which many Russian and foreign sailors lost their lives.
Putin warned that Russia is fully prepared to give a befitting reply in any corner of the world.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (third from left) attend the Eastern Economic Forum.
The path to talks with America is not closed yet
Even though difficulties are increasing regarding peace talks with Ukraine, Putin has indicated that the way for talks with America is open. He said that contacts between Russia and America remain constant and Moscow wants to normalize relations with Washington.
Putin also made it clear that Russia’s will alone is not enough for this. America will also have to be ready for this. Regarding Trump’s stance, Putin said that according to his understanding, the US President is in favor of positive talks.
He said that contact is continuing between the intelligence agencies of the two countries. Trump’s envoys are also in touch with Russia. Meanwhile, last week CIA chief John Ratcliffe met Russian intelligence officers in Moscow. Both the countries have not made public what happened in this meeting.
John Ratcliffe is the first CIA Chief to visit Moscow in 5 years.
Putin rejects reports of new military mobilization
President Vladimir Putin has rejected reports of new conscription or mobilization in Russia. He said that at present Russia does not need to mobilize new troops.
“Today there is no situation that requires mobilization,” Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
He termed these news as a propaganda campaign. According to Putin, this campaign is being run before the elections of the State Duma, the lower house of Russia, to be held this month, so that the results of the elections can be influenced.
He said that people are joining the army voluntarily and signing contracts for military service.
There was mobilization of 3 lakh people in 2022
The last time partial mobilization took place in Russia was in September 2022. According to the Kremlin, about 3 lakh reserve soldiers were then called into the army.
There was a lot of protest in Russia after this decision and a large number of men of military service age left the country.
Since then, the Kremlin has said several times that there are no plans for such mobilization again in Russia.
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